New Leaders Shape Minnesota’s Legal, Business and Health Sectors

Minnesota State Bar Association
New President: Kenya Bodden, effective July 1.
Former Amazon legal risk team member and 2023 Ramsey County Bar Chair.
Leadership Team: Nicole Kettwick (President‑Elect), Sarah Soucie Eyberg (Treasurer), Brandon Vaughn & Madeline Gustafson (Co‑Secretaries).
University of Northwestern‑St. Paul
New Dean: Mark R. Shannon, former assistant dean at Belhaven University.
The Stoltz School of Business honors Dan and Robin Stoltz for the largest donation in its 124‑year history.
Corporate Board Appointments
Securian Financial: Pradip Patiath, senior partner at McKinsey & Co., joins the board (effective June 1).
Eide Bailly (Fargo): Several managers promoted in advisory and audit units.
LoCorr (Excelsior): Corey Bengtson hired for research; additional staff added to distribution team.
Ameriprise: Pattern Wealth brings $160 million in client assets from Thrivent.

Health and Nonprofit Updates
Essentia Health: CEO Dr. David Herman joins the Joint Commission board.
NMDP Registry: Achieves 150,000 transplants since 1987.
Park Dental Partners: Adds Zumbro View Dental in Rochester, led by Dr. Tom Haugen.
Ridgeview Medical Center: Ben Nielsen appointed president and CEO; Mike Phelps retires January 2027.
Legal Recognition
Fredrikson law firm’s patent teams ranked on the IAM Patent 1000 list for 2026, featuring eleven attorneys across Minnesota and Iowa.
Journalism Award
Sahan Journal (St. Paul) honors reporter Becky Z. Dernbach for her feature on immigrant students in Minneapolis schools.